Craven's population grew in the decade to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in average age, religion and housing tenure.
The population passed 55,000
Between the last two censuses, the population of Craven increased by 3.3%, from just over 53,600 to 55,400.
The addition of just under 1,800 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).
In 2011, Craven was home to, on average, 0.34 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it Yorkshire and The Humber's third-least densely-populated district.
Population density was lower than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber
Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Yorkshire and The Humber, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)
- Rest of Yorkshire and The Humber
- Craven
- Average across England
An older Craven
Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.
Between the last two censuses, the median age of Craven increased by four years, from 43 to 47 years.
This agricultural area had the highest average age in Yorkshire and The Humber and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).
The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 2,200 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 2,000.
About 15% of people in Craven are aged between 60 and 69 years
Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Craven by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
Disability in Craven
Craven saw Yorkshire and The Humber's second-largest fall in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability.
In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (88%) in Craven reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities, compared with 89% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.6% to 3.4%.
Across the region, only Ryedale saw a greater fall in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability (from 90% to 89%).
The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber
Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
Changing relationships in Craven
The proportion of married people fell in Craven, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber, except Doncaster.
Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a fall in the proportion of married people, as the regional average fell from 52% to 47%.
During this period, Craven overtook Richmondshire to become the Yorkshire and The Humber local authority area with the fifth-highest percentage of married people.
The proportion of married people was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber
Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011
- Rest of Yorkshire and The Humber
- Craven
- Average across England
Changing work life
The rate of unemployment increased in Craven, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber, except Richmondshire.
Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a rise in the proportion of unemployed people, as the regional average grew from 3.7% to 4.9%.
The rate of unemployment was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber
Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were unemployed across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011
- Rest of Yorkshire and The Humber
- Craven
- Average across England
Changing household dynamics
The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple increased in Craven, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber.
Every local authority area across Yorkshire and The Humber saw a rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple, as the regional average grew from 8.7% to 11%.
The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber
Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011
- Rest of Yorkshire and The Humber
- Craven
- Average across England
Change in unpaid care
The percentage of Craven residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.8% to 1.2% between the last two censuses.
The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.8%.
The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased faster here than in any other local authority district across Yorkshire and The Humber. The improvement brought health in Craven close to the national average 1.4% in England described their health as good in 2011).
The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Craven remained close to 1.2%
Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Craven by care, March 2001 and March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
Religion in Craven
The number of people in Craven that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 42,000 in 2001 to about 37,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 78% to 67% of the local population.
The percentage decreased by less than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber (from 73% to 60%) and the average across England (from 72% to 59%).
The number of people in Craven that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 7,400 in 2001 to about 13,000 in 2011 (from 14% to 23%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just over 3,700 to just over 4,200 (from 7.0% to 7.6%).
Just under 510 people (0.6%) said they were Muslim, up from about 330 in 2001 (0.9%).
The population who identified as Christian in Craven decreased by 11 percentage points
Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Craven by religion, March 2001 and March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
Rise in private renting
The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Craven, but at a slower rate than across Yorkshire and The Humber.
In Craven, the proportion of private renting increased from 11% in 2001 to 15% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 9.1% to 16%.
Across Yorkshire and The Humber, the share of privately rented homes increased from 9.1% to 16%.
The rate of social housing in Craven fell from 9.6% to 9.0%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 76% to 73%.
Private renting in Craven increased by 4.5 percentage points
Percentage of households in Craven, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
Health improved
The percentage of Craven residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.2% to 4.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.
Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.
In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70% in 2001. While the percentage of Craven residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22% to 13%.
The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 10% in 2001 to 6.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.
These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.
The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Craven decreased by 3.7 percentage points
Percentage of usual residents in Craven, Yorkshire and The Humber and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
Fewer people worked long hours
The percentage of employed people in Craven working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 17% to 14% between the last two censuses.
In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.2% in 2001.
The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 13% in 2001 to 9.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.
Long hour working in Craven decreased by 3.8 percentage points
Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Craven, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
More homes without children
The percentage of households without children increased in Craven at a faster rate than across England.
In Craven, the proportion of households without children increased from 64% in 2001 to 67% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 61% to 61%.
Across Yorkshire and The Humber, the share of households without children increased from 61% to 62%.
The proportion of households with children in Craven fell from 27% to 25%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.6% to 8.8%.
The proportion of households without children was higher than across Yorkshire and The Humber
Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011
- Rest of Yorkshire and The Humber
- Craven
- Average across England
Ethnicity in Craven
The number of people in Craven from the White ethnic groups increased from just under 53,000 in 2001 to about 54,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 99% to 97%.
The percentage decreased by less than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber (from 93% to 89%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).
The number of people in Craven from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 480 in 2001 to about 970 in 2011 (from 0.9% to 1.8%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just over 200 to about 380 (from 0.4% to 0.7%).
About 61 people (0.1%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 44 in 2001 (0.1%).
The population from the White ethnic groups in Craven decreased by 1.2 percentage points
Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Craven by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011
- 2001
- 2011
Area report data
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